MkVe Overview
System Planning Corporation presents the new standard in instrumentation radar systems. Its MkVe radar
is a multifrequency, ultra-wideband, coherent, step-chirp measurement system that uses Doppler processing
to provide synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and inverse SAR (ISAR) images.
The MkVe is a sophisticated measurement instrument used to support production and operational testing in
either ground-based or airborne configurations. It has been used in a number of important production and real-time
applications:
- Northrop-Grumman Production Point Imaging RCS System (PPIRCS)
- USAF Diagnostic Imaging Radar (DIR)
- US Navy Radar
- Australian Generic Threat Simulator (GTS) and Radar Threat Emulator (RTE)
The MkVe operates over a 0.1 to 18-GHz frequency range and is expandable up to 100 GHz. The
MkVe control software is a Windows-based graphical user interface. The system is small,
lightweight, mobile, and easily reconfigurable. The MkVe is a low-power, modular system incorporating
commercial off-the-shelf equipment. The self-calibrating, built-in diagnostics provide instant confirmation of
operational status.
MkVe Enhancements
The MkVe enhancement represents a major modification to the MkV digital subsystem. The enhancement centers around
the MkV DSP and vastly improves many aspects of an already very successful MkV product line. In short, the MkVe
enhancement improves:
- Processing speed
- Data throughput
- Memory size
- Software/firmware flexibility
The capability enhancements that result from these improvements are far-reaching and are described in further detail
herein.
MkVe Key Benefits
- 100:1 processing speed improvement resulting in faster real-time data processing and image display
- 10:1 I/O speed enhancement in support of accelerated data transfers to auxiliary equipment
- 10 dB more background subtraction through enhanced, real-time compensation
- IF bandwidth increased from 500 MHz to 700 MHz
- Video bandwidth increased from 250 MHz to 350 MHz
- The ability to modulate an RF carrier within a pulse
- Real-time capture and 16-bit digitization of analog data at rates up to 100 MB/sec
- 16 bit digital resolution -- full utilization of available RF/IF dynamic range with overhead to support future
enhancements
- Expanded DSP memory supporting improved ability to deal with ambiguous clutter at higher PRFs
- Enhanced longevity and reliability via replacing several legacy boards/components with a modern COTS DSP board
running SPC firmware
Upgrading to MkVe
The high speed MkVe digital processing enhancement is available with all new MkV radars or as an affordable
upgrade to existing MkV systems. All enhancements described herein are available whether the MkVe components
are purchased with a new radar or via an upgrade. Upgrade cost varies slightly from system to system. Please
contact SPC for a firm quotation.
What Does the "e" in MkVe Stand for?
If only one thing, the "e" in MkVe stands for enhanced. But it represents so much more:
evolution, exponential growth in capability and a truly
excellent choice for RCS and other instrumentation radar needs.
Industry-leading 3-Year Warranty
Reliability experience with the MkV radar product line has led SPC to increase the standard system warranty
from one year to an industry-leading three-year period for the MkVe.
Dual-channel Receive Now Standard
Dual channel receive now comes standard with all new MkVe radar systems.
MkVe Flexibility
The MkVe architecture is based largely on the legacy MkV architecture. This legacy architecture
was created with the potential for satisfying nearly every conceivable instrumentation radar application
within the limits of available component hardware. This inherent flexibility combined with additional digital
capabilities now enables the MkVe to meet an exceedingly wide range of application needs.
Such needs cover:
- Traditional instrumentation Radar applications
- Airborne Generic Treat Simulation (GTS)
- High-speed analog to digital data recording
- ECM, ECCM, and a host of other applications involving arbitrary waveform generation
About 90 percent of the time, an MkV customer's needs can be satisfied with a fairly modest waveform capability.
However, it is rare when two customers require the same limited set. Because of this, SPC chose to incorporate
a digital design that allows for unlimited flexibility within a table memory of one million elements. This allows
pulse-to-pulse variation of:
- Frequency
- PRI
- Pulse width
- Attenuation
- Phase
- Range delay
- RF port selection
Pulse-to-pulse RF port selection flexibility enables:
- Instantaneous polarization diversity
- Real-time system monitoring via built-in diagnostic loop modes
MkVe Reliability
Perhaps the MkV's greatest claim to fame is its reliability and maintainability. Without question, the
MkV line provides industry leading availability in a production environment. But this achievement requires more
than just a highly reliable radar; it requires a well orchestrated, cradle-to-grave approach from the company behind
the radar. SPC founded the instrumentation radar market over 25 years ago, and we have more experience maintaining
production line instrumentation radars than anybody in the industry. This experience makes a real difference in
achieving greater than 90 percent radar availability as demanded by our customers who operate in a production environment.
MkVe Longevity
One of SPC's important philosophies insures that upgrades are backward compatible with existing systems. This is
our philosophy because we recognize the importance of system longevity. Our customers have been known to insist
on 10+ years of service life, and there's no reason they shouldn't!
In support of longevity, the new MkVe digital processor incorporates the latest in integrated FPGA and G4
processing hardware, making use of an architecture widely adopted in commercial and military digital data processing
systems. Because of the widespread use of this digital backbone we anticipate availability and vendor support well
into the next decade.
SPC selects product improvement paths with a great deal of thought. Selected paths lead to incremental but significant
increases in overall performance while maintaining backward compatibility. As such, the MkVe will not
suddenly become a lame duck and then die. MkVe customers will always have the ability to maintain or enhance their
systems with upgrades at a reasonable cost well into the future. It will not be necessary to budget for a complete
replacement system a few years hence.
A/D Resolution vs. True Instantaneous Dynamic Range
The instantaneous dynamic range of modern instrumentation Radars is limited by the RF/IF chain and not by the A/D
converter. Neither the MkVe nor any known competitor's instrumentation Radar represents an exception to
this rule. The legacy MkV incorporates 14-bit A/D converters, and the new MkVe includes an option for
16-bit A/D converters. The 16-bit, MkVe A/D converters extend the theoretical upper limit of supported instantaneous
dynamic range from 72 dB to 84 dB, where one bit has been reserved for sign. The RF/IF chain in both the MkV and
MkVe supports >70 dB dynamic range. The associated surplus dynamic range supported by the A/D converters is
desirable for the following reasons:
- So that RF/IF improvements of tomorrow can be readily incorporated into an existing architecture
- To support high-speed, high-resolution analog to digital data capture applications
The dynamic range may be augmented with coherent integration to typical levels of 100 dB or more.
Increased IF and Video Bandwidth
Legacy MkV systems provide 500 MHz of IF bandwidth and 250 MHz of video bandwidth. The MkVe provides an
impressive 700 MHz of IF bandwidth and 350 MHz of video bandwidth.
High-speed Frequency Switching
Achieving reliable, high-speed frequency switching has been a longstanding concern within the instrumentation radar
community. In the past the only synthesizers that could support switching at 1 MHz and above were available from only
one vendor. While originally ahead of their time in switching speed, these units developed a reputation for being
unreliable. More recently the market place has responded with several very competitive frequency synthesizers.
SPC has evaluated these in our lab and found their performance to be on par, if not superior, to legacy products.
The MkVe has been designed for compatibility with all of the these new synthesizers. This now
affords a range of choices so that the synthesizer selection can be tailored to the application requirements.
Dynamic Target Tracking
Dynamic tracking of targets is an important requirement in many applications. The MkVe continues the
legacy MkV capability to do both range and angle tracking while capturing RCS target data. MkVe tracking
is flexible in that the target can be tracked in both dimensions using a variety of techniques:
- Manually using the radar for range and optical for azimuth
- Automatically via SPCs Motion Measurement System which uses a wireless GPS link for both range
and azimuth tracking
10 dB Improvement in Background Subtraction
The MkVe increases the background subtraction capability from a very good 30 dB to an outstanding 40+ dB.
Temperature, phase stability, and system calibration are important to precise radar measurements. The MkVe
adds the ability to actively compensate for changes in the environment during calibration and data collection.
The improved background subtraction is a direct result of this active compensation.
Enhanced Application Flexibility
SPCs MkVe enhancement enables applications that go beyond those traditionally associated with
instrumentation radars, including:
ECM/ECCM Monitoring
The MkVe supports High-speed Analog to Digital Data Recording -- the ability to capture
and digitize extended lengths of streaming data at rates up to 200 MB/sec.
This capability is available over the full RF bandwidth of the radar. This enables the MkVe to record the active,
real-time response of a Target Under Test to stimulation by a radar. Likewise, any electromagnetic ECM or ECCM response
issued by an asset may also be recorded for analysis or diagnostic purposes. These represent just a few of the possible
uses for the MkVe's High-speed Analog to Digital Data Recording capability.
Arbitrary Waveform Generation
The MkVe is capable of generating very exotic waveforms, including modulation within the radar pulse itself.
Examples of this are single pulse frequency chirps, phase coded sequences and AM/FM/PM modulation, to name a few.
This arbitrary waveform capability combined with the legacy MkV waveform table truly leads to an unlimited number of
waveform possibilities.
MkV History
The MkV represents the fifth generation of a line of instrumentation radars that began with the MkI in 1979. The
MkVe is the latest enhanced version within that successful radar product line. Since 1979, SPC has
delivered over 55 instrumentation radar systems covering a wide range of complexities. The first MkV was produced
in 1996, and this year marks the production of the 25th MkV. The most recent four MkV radars include the powerful
MkVe enhancement.
